General Information
Antelope Valley Center
Services
Special Dates
Fee Schedule
Hepatitis B
Requirement
Measles/Rubella Requirement
Mumps
recommendation
HIV Testing
Nursing Clearances
TB Testing
Wart Clinic
Women's Clinic
Meningitis Vaccine
What is it? How is it contracted? S
College
students risk Recommendations
Who should be vaccinated?
WHAT IS
MENINGITIS INFECTION?
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a
person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. The disease can
be caused by either a viral or bacterial infection.
If the infection goes untreated, it can lead to
permanent disabilities such as hearing loss, brain damage, seizures or
amputation. It can even lead to death. The good news is that if it is caught
early, meningitis is curable in most cases.
HOW IS IT SPREAD?
The infection is easily spread through direct contact with oral secretions. Such contact includes:
·
Sharing
of utensils, cigarettes or drinking glasses
·
Kissing
·
Close
contact in classes and activities with other students
Quick
Checklist of symptoms
Symptoms of meningitis are similar to
those of the flu. Many people complain of symptoms such as:
 |
Severe headache |
|
Stiff neck |
|
Nausea |
|
Vomiting |
|
High
Fever |
|
Sensitivity
to bright lights |
|
Confusion |
|
Sleepiness |
NOTE:
It is uncommon for all of these symptoms to be present.
A
Risk for College Students:
College
students have a greater risk of infection than the general population because
of activities that are often part of college life, such as smoking, going out
to bars, drinking alcohol, and living in a dormitory.
Meningitis
strikes about 125 students on college students annually and about 15 students
die as a result. Further research shows freshmen living in the dorms have a
six times higher risk of infection than college students overall and a four
times higher risk than others in their age group.
Are
there vaccines against meningitis?
Yes,
the vaccines are safe and highly effective. The vaccine is a single shot,
which provides protection starting in about 10 to 14 days and lasting about 3
to 5 years. Adverse reactions are
mild and infrequent, consisting primarily of redness and pain at the site of
injection lasting up to 2days.
Current
recommendations:
The American College Health
Association (ACHA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) both recommend
that undergraduate college students, particularly freshmen who live in or plan
to live in the dormitories or residence halls, consider getting the vaccine.
The recommendations for those who should be vaccinated are:
·
Entering college students
·
Undergraduate
students 25 years of age or under
·
Students
with medical conditions that compromise immunity (e.g. HIV, cancer, etc)
·
Students
traveling to other parts of the world
Fees
You Can Afford
The vaccination against meningitis is available at your Student Health Services (SHS). There will be a fee associated with the vaccination. To inquire about the cost or make an appointment to receive the vaccination, call (661) 654-2394.
ED 8/05